Nevertheless, the final result was not certain until Park Ridge junior Lindsay Beer grabbed a long pass, drove to the basket and scored to give the Owls a six-point lead, 39-33, with less than 10 seconds to go in the game.

"Lindsay had some monstrous rebounds at the end," said Owls coach Tom Curry IV. "She and Carly [Bargmann] are really starting to dictate the offensive tempo and really starting to understand the game."

First meeting

Thanks to a change in the structure of the leagues this was the first time this season that the two teams played each other. In prior years they played two regular season games and normally met in the state playoffs somewhere along the line.

"Coming in we didn't know much [about them]," senior Sam Bargmann said. "They're big and they're athletic. It was pretty exciting, especially with the win. Since I've been here we've gone to their gym and lost every single time. So this is a sigh of relief, especially since this is my senior year. It's a going away present."

Park Ridge had a four-point lead early in the game, but a three-point play by Knights senior Mack Holowach and three-point shot by senior Victoria Astillero turned it around to 10-7 in favor of the New Milford.

"They have a good team," said Curry. "[Carly] Lesko can put it up from anywhere. She's a scorer. She's pretty impressive and they've got a couple of role players that really do a nice job. They took away a lot of what we like to do, like getting it low to Lindsay [Beer] and Sam [Bargmann]."

After that the lead changed hands 12 times, with neither team holding more than a four-point advantage until midway through the fourth quarter. In addition, the score was tied on five separate occasions.

Lesko was huge for New Milford, scoring eight points in the first quarter and 15 in the game.

"They really did some good stuff and we hung in there and finally had some poise," said Curry. "I thought the big key was having a better defensive effort on her (Lesko) in the second half. And it showed."

Two quick fouls

The Owls were without center Sam Bargmann for long stretches of the game. She picked up two quick fouls in the first seven minutes of the game and had to sit out. She returned but picked up her third in the first minute of the second quarter and went back out of the game.

Sam Bargmann still managed to score 15 points in the game but her offensive and defensive prowess was clearly missing for the Owls.

"It was definitely a team effort," said Curry. "We had to take the air out of the ball a little bit. And if that meant holding the ball for a couple of minutes, then we held the ball for a couple of minutes. Against a zone you want to be patient. You don't keep throwing the ball, throwing the ball, forcing. Let them come to you and then you can score. And they did a good job with it."

The offensive responsibilities shifted to Beer and sophomore Carly Bargmann and they responded, combining for 17 points in the game. Most of the points were generated by drives to the basket.

"Lindsay and I telepathically know when we're going to be there," said Carly Bargmann. "I love playing with Lindsay and I love driving to the basket. I never used to."

"They're so great," Sam Bargmann said of her teammates. "They're probably the best teammates. I call Lindsay my adopted sister - she's over my house all the time. They always have my back. When I'm low they pick me up. When they're low I pick them up. It's just how it works - it's like a family."

'Really good game'

So close was the game that New Milford had a one-point lead, 16-15, at the end of the first quarter, Park Ridge clung to a 22-21 lead at halftime and the Knights had a 30-28 lead entering the fourth quarter.